CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.  -  SIUE baseball dropped the second of the three-game weekend series at Southeast Missouri on Saturday afternoon, as the Cougars fell in a narrow 2-1 contest to the host Redhawks.

The Cougars struck first in the visitors' half of the opening frame, as a double to right field from Connor Kiffer sent home Josh Ohl to give SIUE the one-run advantage.

"A great response out of the guys after last night," said SIUE Head Coach Sean Lyons. "A quick run in the first with back-to-back hits from Josh (Ohl) and Connor (Kiffer). We hit three or four balls on the screws today that hung up in the wind, and SEMO's outfielders made some great plays in the gaps."

The SIUE starter on the mound, Collin Baumgartner, gave the Cougars a scoreless outing through five-and-a-third innings before he was replaced by Jake Bockenstedt. Bockenstedt, who inherited a pair of base runners, could not get the Cougars out of the inning unscathed. SEMO's Tyler Wilbur doubled into right which sent home a pair of Redhawk base runners and gave SEMO a 2-1 lead.

"Colin was fantastic today," added Lyons. "It's the best he's pitched this season and I'm excited to see him getting better each week."

SIUE would not go away quietly, as Avery Owusu-Asiedu came just 90 feet from tying the game in the visitor's half of the seventh inning; however, the Redhawk defense put the Cougar scoring threat at bay.

The Cougars (10-10, 0-2 OVC) will close out their series with Southeast Missouri tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Cape Girardeau. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.